The foreclosure scam is alive and ripping off homeowners in Southern California. Five people in Woodland Hills, Ca. have been arrested for stealing homes under the scam that they would save the owner from bank foreclosure.

There are slick crooks who will approach homeowners, in foreclosure with a bank, and tell them they can save their home and get them a new lower mortgage payment.� They claim they can negotiate with the bank and save the�home.� But, here are the important RED Flags.� The crooks will want you to sign over the ownership of your home on a "quitclaim" deed.� Never, Never sign your home over to someone for negotiations with a bank.� They will tell you that when they negotiate a lower mortgage payment for you then they will sign the title of your home back over to you.� With the crooks that will never happen. The next Red Flag is when they ask for an up front payment.� It is against the law in California for anyone to demand of an up front payment for negotiations on a home loan or mortgage.

There are legal companies that will negotiate with banks for you, but you should get good references, and remember never sign over the title of�your home, and never pay up front.

An 80-year old homeowner in Pico Rivera, Ca. signed over his home to crooks who promised to get him a better mortgage payment with the bank.� The crooks have been caught and are now serving time in prison.� The homeowner did get the title back on his home, but the crooks took out two major loans on the equity in his home.� Now he has to pay the bank�back, or lose his home.